Dear Birthparents, I am Frances, born in Illinois 45 year ago. I am Stefano, born in Italy 50 year ago. I am Max, a 13 year old Poodle mix. Stefano and Frances adopted me from the Humane Society 7 years ago. I am playful and full of love. I met Stefano 11 years ago on the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago while playing beach volleyball. I was on a skills team learning how to play beach volleyball with a friend of Stefano’s. Stefano practiced with us often, showing off his volleyball skills, as he played semi­professional volleyball for many years in Italy. After several months of going out after volleyball practice with the team, we began dating and were inseparable until I moved to St. Louis in 2006. Frances and I are both divorced and were probably jaded with the thought of maintaining a long distance relationship. However, after a year of both of us traveling to visit one another on a regular basis, it was clear to us that we were in love and ready to build a life together. Once I settled in St. Louis and we bought a house, we were ready to share our love with the child that we often spoke about. However, the process was not as easy as we planned considering my age of 38 when the process began. After several years of unsuccessful fertility treatments we inquired about the adoption process. Although we wanted to experience the pregnancy for ourselves, ultimately what we want is a child to love and share our lives with. I am Italian and moved to the U.S. in 2003. I am an executive in software development for my company. I am athletic and play soccer several times a week. I have always loved children and engaging the minds of children of all ages, be it athletically or academically. I taught teenagers how to program computers and create video games. I have siblings, cousins and many friends with children and have built a bond with many of their children. I come from a large Italian family and they often ask when we are going to have a child for them to love. I grew up in a suburb just north of Chicago and spent most of my career in real estate. I now work at a local university in human resources. I had a great relationship with my nieces and nephews in Chicago and miss having Friday night sleepovers and spending Saturdays watching or participating in the sport of the season. I wanted to be there to cheer them on, teach the skills and talk about it later. My mother lives in Virginia and is eagerly awaiting the day when we have a child of our own so that she can spoil the child as only a grandparent can. I am closest to my brother and his children. My brother is very excited about having a niece or nephew to love and visit. Frances and I met later in life and have experienced many of the things such as travel, education and financial security that some say that they would like to achieve before having a child. Frances has the flexibility to either continue working or stay at home for several years to raise our child. My schedule is flexible and I can work from home on occasion. We have an extended family of friends. One of them has offered to care for the child during the day should we need her assistance in a pinch, as she is currently caring for her grandchild who will soon attend full time preschool. Frances’ mother has already declared that she will be in town as soon as the child arrives to assist with the needs of caring for a child. We both were Sunday school teachers and active members in our churches. I grew up in an AME Church and converted to Baptist during my first marriage. Stefano grew up in a Catholic Church. I have tried a few churches since I moved to St Louis, and have recently settled in a Presbyterian Church. Stefano is not religious, but knows how important is to grow up in a religious community. We intend to participate together with our child in church activities. Our home is a three bedroom ranch which sits on two acres of land within the Ladue School District. We live in a diverse neighborhood on a private road with very little traffic. Many of our neighbors have young children who often play ball in the middle of the road when the weather is nice. If you decide to honor us with the privilege of raising your child, we will nurture the child with love and discipline. We will share all that we know about the world with the child and encourage inquisitiveness. At home we will speak Italian so the child will have an opportunity to become bilingual and experience two cultures, American and Italian with loving families in both places.